When Past & Present Collide
by doeless
Summary: Right after Elena's birthday party (Season 3, Episode 1), Bonnie goes back home with Elena, and they have a sleepover in her room. Stefan still calls Elena, which prompts her to beg Bonnie to do a "see into the future" spell but instead Elena is sent back in time to spend the night with a certain Salvatore brother in 1864.
1. Chapter 1

This takes place in the time when Stefan is off with Klaus while Elena and Damon are looking for him (Season Three, Episode One, "The Birthday"). Right after Elena's birthday party, Bonnie goes back home with Elena, and they have a sleepover in her room. Stefan still calls Elena, which prompts her to beg Bonnie to do a "see into the future" spell so she can know if Stefan and her ever get a happily ever after. The spell fails...or so it seems. Bonnie accidentally opens a hole in time where Elena spends a night with a certain Salvatore brother in 1864.

Chapter One

Gasping, I bolt up in bed and frantically search my surroundings. As I see my own bedroom and my friend Bonnie sleeping next to me, I finally calm down and fall back onto the pillows. My head is spinning from my most realistic dream yet. I dreamt I had gone back in time and seen...no way. There was just no way it was real. Silently, I cover my embarrassed smile and turn to cuddle with Bonnie.

 _The night before:_

 _I wake up groggily and in desperate need of a glass of water. Bonnie snores quietly beside me in bed as I slide out from under the blankets as quietly as I can. I barely remember everything that happened before we went to bed-we tried to see into the future, but it failed. All of her grimoire papers were now scattered around my bedroom floor. Gently, I tiptoe to the bathroom with my glass, but as I step on a particular piece of paper, I feel the sensation of falling. Falling fast._

 _It's dark. It's storming. My head is throbbing as I sit up. I'm in the forest, which makes no sense. I shiver and notice I am lying on the ground in my drenched, long white nightgown. My hair is soaked through, and I am freezing. Miraculously, my hand is still clutching the glass that I was going to use to get some water. None of this makes any sense._

 _Slowly, I get up, and everything is throbbing. I must have hit the ground when I fell, but where is my house? In the distance, I see a light. Without any other options, I run towards the light, and I see that it's a cottage. There is no paved road, no cars, and no street lights. Where am I? There's nothing around, just farm land and the cottage. I approach the door cautiously. I knock._

 _I hear rustling on the other side. Then, the door creeps open. My eyes blink rapidly. I cannot believe what I'm seeing. Black, curly hair. White, loose blouse hanging off his shoulders, baring his gloriously sculpted chest to me. Bright and curious blue eyes travelling up and down my entire body. Brief alarm at my random appearance._

 _"Damon?" I ask in confusion._

 _Why does he look like this? He looks like he's from Gone with the Wind or something. And why isn't he inviting me in? He looks like he's debating on telling me to get lost or not._

 _"Katherine? I thought Stefan was meant to accompany you tonight," His eyes narrow as he leans back away from the door._

 _I'm shivering violently._

 _"Dammit, Damon! Let me in," I demand with gritted teeth and push him out of the way._

 _When I enter the cottage, I am taken aback by the interior's decoration. Everything is wooden and looks like something you'd find in an antique shop._

 _"Who are you?" I hear behind me._

 _I turn and see Damon in the doorway, looking utterly flabbergasted._

 _"Not Katherine," I deadpan, turning around to look inside the cottage again._

 _There's a desk with papers and journals strewn on it as well as a small cot with a woolen blanket. It looks like Damon has been staying here alone for awhile. I set down my glass on the desk and turn back around._

 _"I did not invite you in," He murmurs with a furrowed brow._

 _"Close the door. I'm cold," I plead as I wrap my arms around myself._

 _My nightgown and hair are sticking to me from the cold rain outside. The sound of my teeth clattering momentarily fills the silence._

 _"Of course. I am so sorry, miss," He apologizes and rushes to the small hearth in order to coax out a fire._

 _I sit down on the cot and am stunned into silence when Damon approaches me to cover my shoulders with the woolen blanket. He kneels down before me and studies me curiously, no longer threatened by my presence._

 _"Are you hurt, miss?" He asks with such tenderness that I nearly laugh._

 _Why is he acting like this?_

 _"I'm fine, Damon," I huff and roll my eyes at his theatricality. Where even are we?_

 _"How do you know my name?" Damon's eyes widen in surprise._

 _I scoff angrily and kick him lightly with my foot, causing him to sprawl out on the floor. My mouth pops open in confusion because I know he is too strong to let a teenage girl knock him off balance. So much for vampire super strength, I guess._

 _"Shit!" I gasp, running to help him up._

 _He pulls me to him so that I'm lying on top of him, our entire bodies pressed together. Our faces are centimeters apart, and I feel his warm breath on my face. His breath smells like hickory wood and smoke. I feel inexplicably drawn in by his cherry-red lips and chiseled jaw._

 _"This is a dream," I whisper to myself and him._

 _It must be. None of this makes sense._

 _"Perhaps it is," He answers, looking just as entranced as me._

 _Sitting up, I look at the dwindling fire with a look of despair. I'll never get warm now. Definitely not with this wet nightgown still on. Understanding my dilemma, Damon sits up and gulps nervously._

 _"Ma'am, if I may suggest...I hope I am not being too forward...if you would like to remove your attire, I promise I will remain a gentleman and turn away so as to not see," He swears earnestly, and I can't help the small laugh that leaves my lips._

 _"Okay," I concede with a blush._

 _He turns around as I slowly pull the gown over my head. It drops to the floor, and both of our breathing become heavier from the tension. If this is a dream...does that mean I can act on whatever impulse I have? This may be my only chance to explore these feelings I have for him. My heart stutters momentarily at the prospect._

 _"Damon," I say breathily, my chest heaving in anticipation._

 _It's just a dream. No one will ever know._

 _"Yes?" He answers, still turned away from me._

 _"Turn around."_

 _It's completely silent. He hasn't turned, but I know he understands what I want because his shoulders are tense, and his hands are clenched in fists at his side. Delicately, I walk over to him and run my hands slowly down his back. When he doesn't push me away, I plant a long and wet kiss at the back of his neck and peel off his loose shirt. My hands return to his back, and he only tenses momentarily before relaxing again. I step closer and meld the front of my body into his back. My hands trace his hard chest down to his flat stomach and then to his trousers. When I grasp his trouser buttons, his hands capture mine._

 _"Please," I breathe into his soft, wispy hair._

 _Slowly, he turns around and surveys my nakedness. His eyes caress my body until they reach my panties. Hesitantly, he reaches out and feels the soft pink cotton with embroidered lace, and I try not to shudder from the sheer lust I feel._

 _"These are very small pantaloons," He mumbles in wonder before his eyes meet mine._

 _He steps closer without touching me until our lips are barely a breath apart._

 _"You are so beautiful. I conclude that I must be dreaming as well," Damon posits and then exhales loudly with shuddering breath._

 _His arms come around me, pulling him to me, and I go into him willingly. My arms twine around his shoulders, and my pelvis rubs against him suggestively. Suddenly, his leg forces mine apart so that his thigh is grounding into my sex. We kiss in a frenzy like horny teenagers until we part for breath. Quickly, he lifts me up so I can wrap my legs around him, and he carries us over to the tiny cot. We lie down together, Damon's tongue dominating my mouth and making me wetter than I've ever been before. My whole body is tingling where he touches me, and my nipples are pebbled as my chest rubs against his. I feel like I could orgasm just like this._

 _Impatiently, I use my toes to push down his pants, and I am momentarily distracted by his lack of underwear. My eyes pop open, but his mouth continues to devour me before descending down my body. He gently bites my nipple, and I spasm from the pleasure. He gives me a typical smirk, and it sends shivers through me at the familiarity. Much too slow for my liking, Damon pulls down my underwear and briefly stares at them, studying their strange shape. My face turns intensely red and hot as he inhales them and his facial expression shows the upmost pleasure at the scent._

 _"Damon," I gasp in indignation and embarrassment, which causes him to toss the fabric behind him and prowl up my body._

 _He places his body over mine until I feel him everywhere. I feel so warm with another person's nakedness on top of mine. Inside, my heart is bursting with happiness, and I feel a glowing in my soul. What began as a trivial sex dream has transformed into something more. In order to distract myself from these thoughts, I grab the back of his neck and bring his lips to mine again. His eyes bore into mine as he lifts my leg and places it over his hip. He grabs his swollen flesh and hastily rubs it up and down my entrance. I wiggle and squirm in desperation, begging him with my body to enter me already._

 _"What is your name?" He asks again, and in that moment, I would give him my name. My house. My social security number. Anything._

 _"Elena," I gasp, grabbing onto his bulging upper arms and hooking my ankles together under his smooth ass._

 _"It has been a pleasure meeting you," He grunts as his member unapologetically invades me until he bumps my cervix._

 _I'm left panting uncontrollably as my walls clench desperately around him. I had some idea of his size from him flashing me this morning, but feeling all of him is a totally different sensation. I can now understand his general swagger and why girls have trailed after him like a lost puppy._

 _"Elena?" He murmurs, his face rising from the crook in my neck._

 _His darkened eyes look down on me, searching my face. I'm sure I look like an absolute idiot from all my gasping and clenching. Unconsciously, he thrusts softly, and I release a loud and prolonged groan of pleasure. My head falls back, but I feel a finger on my chin, lifting my eyes back to his._

 _"Have I hurt you?" Damon breathes, looking equally as effected by our joining._

 _"No, no...it's just-," I try to explain but have to stop to let out another toe-curling moan as his body slightly rocks against mine._

 _"-so big," I barely get out in a strangled voice._

 _To my surprise, he stills and tenderly kisses my forehead, cheeks, and eyelids. His fingers stroke my now damp hair. His lips descend on my face to kiss away the tears rolling down my cheeks. I had no idea I was crying, and I can't explain why. Except maybe he did hurt me but the pleasure has now overtaken the pain? Maybe because this is the happiest I have ever felt in my whole life? And the saddest part is that it is only a dream. When I wake up, it will all be gone._

 _"I don't want to wake up from this," I mumble against his cheek, and he nods in agreement._

 _"I would prefer to stay this way forever," He responds in a solemn tone._

 _He surges over me again, and I cry out, unconsciously scratching his back, causing him to jerk and growl against me. We are both humming inside and completely in tune with each other. I never understood the whole "becoming one" thing that everyone talked about, but I do feel like we have become one in this moment. It's effortless-to give and receive pleasure from the other. It's pure instinct, and I wish I was more surprised at how well we fit together. I think a part of me always knew that we were the other's missing piece, but I didn't want to admit it. We were meant for each other. Now we're gaining speed. I feel sweaty, he feels sweaty. We watch each other, our sweat falling and mingling together. He slides in and out easily. I hear him entering me and feel all my wetness escaping onto the cot beneath us. It's too much. I can't hold it in. He senses it. He pushes harder. He leans down and pants into my ear. He whispers my name like he loves me._

 _"Damon," I whimper before I surrender into an explosion of pure ecstasy._

 _Another sensation I had never felt before-the feeling of my body being literally torn apart by the intensity of an orgasm. My body combusts into fire and rockets my soul into the clouds before falling back to earth. I physically burst so hard that liquids are escaping wherever they can from my body. Damon grips my outstretched hands in his as he lunges rapidly into me, finally shooting his load with bone-rattling passion. I realize belatedly that he's crying as his head lands on my neck, and we both continue to breathe unevenly. I am too tired and satisfied to move, and I quietly moan with displeasure when Damon removes himself from me to retrieve my nightgown and tenderly slip it back on. All the time spent by the roaring fire has dried it, and now I snuggle into it unashamedly. Damon hurriedly grabs the blanket and pulls on his trousers, to which I raise an eyebrow inquisitively._

 _"So I will not wake you up in order to have you again," He explains with a devilish grin, and I blush fiercely at the prospect. I want him again already, but I'm also dead-tired and need to sleep._

 _He crawls onto the cot behind me and pulls me so we're pressed together comfortably, my back to his front._

 _"I feel as if I have met you before, Miss Elena," He says dreamily as we drift off to slumber._

 _"You have," I yawn before closing my eyes and falling asleep._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"I'm not sure how much more of this I can take," I groan as I flush the toilet and rest my head on the seat.

I had been throwing up pretty constantly for at least three weeks now. No matter how much fluids I drank and rest I had gotten, this flu would not go away.

"Maybe you have cancer or something," Caroline suggests from the bathtub ledge.

I glare at her attempt to be comforting.

"That's really sweet of you to say," I mumble and close my eyes.

I am tired all the time, and my body feels tender in some spots. Maybe I should try the doctor. Maybe there really is something wrong with me.

"What if you're pregnant?" I hear from Bonnie who is sitting with me on the floor, looking like she's in a trance.

"Excuse me?" I bark, insulted by her insinuation.

She blinks a couple times and then looks at me in confusion.

"What?"

"That's not funny, Bonnie. You know that's impossible," I chide her weakly, mentally examining her from where I'm sitting.

As long as I have been sick, Bonnie has been acting a lot stranger lately. When she's not walking around like a zombie and staring off into the distance, she's muttering all sorts of random things, like her most recent comment about me being pregnant.

"What's going on with you?" I ask her gently, hoping not to set her off.

She shakes her head and looks between me and Caroline desperately.

"Nothing. Sorry," Bonnie promises unconvincingly.

Caroline and I share a look of disbelief.

"You've been acting really weird lately. What's up?" Caroline prods, equally as intrigued by Bonnie's odd behavior lately.

She takes a moment to think before answering us.

"It's...been these really surreal dreams. I keep hearing a baby crying in the distance...and I run towards the sound, but it still doesn't go away. It's really warm, and I feel safe...I'm like...in a womb or something."

We all pause to digest this information.

"You probably just ate something weird before you went to sleep," Caroline dismisses and walks back into my room.

"That's...a really weird dream," I concede uneasily.

Something about this dream sounds worrisome, but I don't know why. I want to know more.

"It feels so real. Like I'm feeling another presence. I know its a baby, and I know that it's coming. When I wake up, I don't feel the presence anymore, but when I'm-," She stops, her eyes widening and her mouth clamping shut.

"When you what?" I ask, feeling a gnawing feeling of foreboding.

Bonnie stares at me blankly before her face sags in exhaustion and sadness.

"When I'm around you," She confesses before hanging her head in shame.

I choke back a laugh, and Bonnie's eyes shoot up to meet mine.

"What are you saying? That I'm pregnant and you're inside my womb at night?"

With weak legs, I pull myself up to the sink and wince at my reflection. I look haggard and thin, likely from all the vomiting. I have bags under my eyes, and my overall appearance is ghastly. I shake my head at Bonnie's nonsense, and I clamp onto the sink as dizziness threatens to overtake me. Seeing this, Bonnie hops up and supports me as I lose grip on the counter and fall back into her arms. When it passes, I lean forward against the sink again and meet Bonnie's worried eyes in the mirror.

"These dreams...?" I begin and have to swallow as my nausea returns.

"Yeah?" Bonnie answers tentatively, still supporting my back with her small frame.

"Can you tell who the father is?"

I close my eyes and tilt forward, already knowing I am captive to my stomach's desires.

"It's...Damon."

I throw up in the sink.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _Not pregnant, not pregnant, not pregnant_ , I think to myself as I idly listen to the impossibly boring lecture in class. I'm either always snorting at how impossible it would be or feeling absolutely crestfallen at the possibility. I would be a pregnant senior in high school! My whole family would be a joke, I would be a joke. There's no way to pay for a baby right now. And the baby wouldn't have grandparents-that thought saddens me even more. A few tears escape my eyes, but I quickly brush them away so as not to draw attention to myself. I'm being over-emotional, and I'm irritated at feeling sick all the time. My stomach lurches at all the recent memories of being sick, and I know I absolutely need to go throw up-preferably in private. I raise my hand to be excused, and Caroline and Bonnie both give me a concerned look from their seats. I try to tell them I'm okay with my eyes before leaving. Caroline looks especially confused, as she knows I am not leaving to change my tampon. She would have smelled it on me already. _Most awkward slumber party conversation ever._

Once I'm in the hallway, I double over due to dizziness, and I lay in the fetal position on the floor. Everything is spinning. I feel sick. I feel sore. I just want the ground to swallow me whole. I carefully stand back up, but just as I'm about to take those first wobbly steps, the classroom door opens, and Caroline comes out.

"Elena? Are you okay?" I hear as my vision becomes blurry and her voice seems far away.

I faint. Caroline catches me.

XXXXXXXXXX

When I wake up, I expect to be in the nurse's office at school, but I am actually in a crisp, clean hospital bed. The heart monitor beeps loudly beside me as I sit up frantically. Where is Caroline? Who brought me here?

"Ah, I see you're awake," the doctor greets me as she walks in with a cheery smile.

I am feeling anything but cheery right now. Her nametag reads 'Dr. Fell'.

"What's wrong with me?" I ask with a shuddering breath, needing to know. Am I dying?

Dr. Fell quickly scans my file before coming closer to the bed. I can't take the anticipation.

"Actually...we did some tests while you were passed out. It seems you're very dehydrated, but there was something that caught my attention. Your temperature is actually elevated," She explains gently.

I tilt my head in confusion.

"So?"

"So, we drew blood, and I was correct in my assumption...that you are pregnant."

Immediately, the remaining blood in my body flushes out of my face. I feel like I might faint again.

"That's not possible," I squeak out, tears rapidly escaping my eyes.

"When was the last time you had sex?" Dr. Fell asks sweetly, and I can see in her eyes that she's pitying me. She's probably had this conversation a million times with unprepared mothers.

"I...my boyfriend is, like...sterile. There's no way...there's no way," I repeat, momentarily dazed.

"It could've only been one time. That's all it takes. Are you sure it wasn't another partner?" the young-looking doctor inquires.

I look down at my hands. This cannot be happening. What if Bonnie's dreams are somehow true? But how could Damon be the father? He's a vampire, too, so he's also sterile. I mean, I did have that dream, but it was just a dream. Dreams can't knock you up. This is beyond strange.

"Okay. Can I please leave now?" I whisper, rubbing my temples.

I don't want to think about any of this right now. I just need to go home and sleep. And talk to Bonnie.

"Yes, but we have some prenatal vitamins for you to take with you when you leave. Would you like to schedule a checkup with one of our resident gynecologists?"

I wave her off.

"I will, later. I promise," I lie meekly.

She nods, seemingly satisfied with my answer.

"Okay, I will just go get those vitamins for you, and then you can go," She tells me before turning to exit through the door.

I shuffle around on the bed, preparing my things to leave.

"One more thing-crackers and ginger soda will help with the nausea, and remember to drink plenty of water," She reminds me cheerily and then exits the room.

"Of course. Will do," I mock with a bright voice.

I grab my purse off the chair and check for new messages. Everyone is going to freak out if they find out I'm in the hospital. I need to get ahead of this somehow. The door opens, and I raise my head with a sigh, assuming it is the doctor with more "fun" advice, but it is Caroline, who is standing there, looking extremely apologetic and uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I panicked and-," She starts, but I cut her off.

"I understand. It's okay. Can you drive me home?" I ask, looking at the floor and estimating the effort it will take to successfully walk out of here without falling down.

"Of course. Um, so, what did the doctor say? Is it serious?" She asks nervously, and I cock my head to the side in awe at her amazing acting skills.

"You didn't hear?"

"No, I was downstairs parking. What did she say?" Caroline cautiously asks, inching closer to my bed and looking ready to catch me if I kneel over suddenly.

"I'm going to be a mother," I announce with false excitement before adding, "apparently."

Bless her heart-Caroline tries to not look too flabbergasted.

"Um...apparently? You're either pregnant or you're not, Elena," She breathes out loudly and runs her hands through her bouncy, golden curls.

I shrug and then send her a cheeky grin.

"Just take me home, please."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Easy now. Steady goes it," Caroline urges as she helps me to sit on the couch at home.

I roll my eyes and let out an exasperated huff.

"I'm fine. This doctor is just an idiot. Could you get me some water?"

"Yeah, hold on," She chirps before walking off to the kitchen.

I briefly close my eyes, and it feels so good that I begin contemplating the pros and cons of falling asleep right now. Shouldn't I call the school and tell them I'm alright? But sleeping sounds so delicious, and I need the rest if I'm dehydrated. I decide to sleep. Doctor's orders and all.

The doorbell rings, ruining my plans of napping all afternoon. Gingerly, I lift myself up and off the couch and make my way to the door. I unlock all the mechanical switches that everyone foolishly requested I have (how is a deadbolt going to stop a homicidal vampire?), and I open the door to see Bonnie shivering in the rain with her grimoire tightly held to her chest. If you can believe it, she looks even worse than me at the moment. Her eyes are puffy from crying and wide with fear, and her clothes and hair are soaked from the wind and rain outside.

"Elena...I messed up. Really bad."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"You are really pregnant, Elena. I know it sounds crazy, but you are."

Bonnie, Caroline, and I are sitting on my living room couches with hands clasped around cups of steaming chamomile tea. It settles my stomach, but Bonnie's frantic appearance keeps flipping my gut. I shift restlessly under the heavy blanket Caroline insisted I use.

"Bonnie, there's no way. I haven't had sex in...all summer," I insist with slightly pink cheeks.

No matter how open Caroline is about her sex life, I still feel like a self-conscious school girl whenever I talk about Stefan and I having sex. Our last time was

"Yes, you did. Exactly six weeks ago from today," She responds, handing me a crumpled piece of paper.

I curiously receive the paper, and I am even more disturbed when my hands feel like they're vibrating when they touch the material. It's a page from the grimoire that we used for the spell to look into the future. More specifically-it was the page I stepped on while I was going to get a glass of water that night, right before my exceptionally vivid dream of meeting Damon in 1864. Quickly, I hand the picture back to Bonnie so that the energy thrumming from the paper will stop. As soon as it leaves my hand for Bonnie's, the growing electrical current snaps shut, leaving us all in stunned silence.

"What happened exactly six weeks ago? And how does Bonnie know and not me? Was there an orgy that I wasn't invited to?" Caroline asks indignantly, crossing her arms across her chest.

Bonnie and I simultaneously send a glare in Caroline's direction to show our displeasure with her antics. Caroline raises her hands in surrender and mutters under her breath, "No fun."

"Exactly six weeks ago was Elena's birthday-," Bonnie begins.

"Yeah, I was there. Except I was occupied for a bit, if you know what I mean," Caroline laughs and then quiet immediately when we both look at her with contempt.

"Do you need to leave?" I ask her in a teacher's voice, and she shakes her head and dips her mouth to drink some tea.

"Okay, so it was Elena's birthday, and we did a spell to...look into the future, except...I think I sent you back," Bonnie confesses fearfully.

"What? Sent me back where?" I asked, completely confused.

"To 1864. To Damon," She says hesitantly and meets my shocked expression.

"How did you know about that?" I gasp, a blush taking over my entire face and neck.

"I did it, Elena. I'm so sorry-," She tries to interject.

"No, no! That was a dream! How did you know about that dream?" I demand, shaking my hand and starting to get up from the couch.

"Elena! Listen to me. I'm so sorry, but it was all real. You slept with Damon-," She argues, getting up to stand face-to-face with me.

"No, I didn't!" I scream in her face.

"Yes, you did! You went into his cabin in 1864, and you didn't use protection!" She screams backs.

"Elena had sex with Damon? When?" Caroline asks from the couch, looking confused and irritated.

"I didn't. It was all a dream," I sigh in exasperation and walk towards the kitchen.

Bonnie jogs behind me, grabbing my arm.

"It's real. I'm so sorry," She whispers with tears flowing down her face.

"No, there's no way," I repeat numbly and shake my head before slowly sitting on the floor.

Instantly, Bonnie and Caroline huddle around me protectively, telling me it will be alright and that they will support me-no matter what I decide.

"Decide what?" I whisper, brushing the tears off my cheeks.

"To get rid of it, honey," Caroline answer gently, stroking my hair.

I look at them both blankly and note their sympathetic expressions.

"I...I don't know," I admit and sniffle as the tears well up again.

"There, there," Caroline soothes and runs her fingers through my hair.

"I have no parents, no job-how would I even raise a baby? I'm always in danger," I sob in frustration.

"We would help you," Bonnie promises, and Caroline nods.

"You will never be alone," She reminds me, which makes me cry even harder.

"Thank you...can you do something for me?"

Caroline and Bonnie nod without hesitation.

"Don't tell Damon."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Damon POV:

Six weeks ago/1864:

 _My thoughts will not cease to follow the intentionally cruel path of one Miss Katherine Pierce. Every waking moment, I am plagued by images of my only love engaging in carnal endeavors with my younger brother, Stefan. At dinner tonight, she played the charming and adorably wry houseguest for my father, while I agonized about when I would have the honor to see her alone again. No, she was not my first experience in unholy intimacy, but she has been and will always be the only woman to matter to me in this way. She has my heart and soul, but she still chooses to share the affections of two brothers. Before Katherine, my relationship with Stefan was much better, but now I cannot help but resent him, even though I know he is just as enamored as I am and equally as innocent to be trapped in her snare. After dinner, I had initially requested that she share my bed tonight, not with the expectation of laying together but with the hope that we may be able to begin planning our beautiful life together. I only wish to hold her sometimes at night even when she insists on me performing some of the most unusual sensual activities with her. Truly, my life has been so transformed by this one woman's presence in my life. However, she has chosen to spend the evening with Stefan and very evilly told me that she is still teaching him not to be afraid of the blood sharing and instead to relish in the pleasure of it, like me. Why do I love someone so uncaring of my feelings? Still, I must relay that I love her more than-_

My furious writing is interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. Who could be awake at this hour? I quietly close my journal and set my pen down as I stand and approach the door. The knocking begins again, and I take a deep breath before opening the solid, wooden door. There, in the rain, is the woman who I was just writing about. At the sight of her, my heart expands substantially when I realize that she must have preferred to spend the night with me instead of Stefan. She truly loves me!

"Katherine? I thought Stefan was meant to accompany you tonight," I taunt her with a cold tone and narrowed eyes.

I do not want her to think that I am not incensed by all the copious amounts of time spent with my brother, my current adversary. I let her stay out in the rain, enjoying the way her nightgown has become like a second skin, allowing me to roguishly appreciate her underlying nudity without her noticing. Additionally, I know she will not truly become cold outside as her body is already dead, so I am really only teasing her.

"Dammit, Damon! Let me in," I hear from her, and much to my astonishment, she pushes past me and into the cabin-without being invited in.

This is most obviously not Katherine, and I am nearly shocked into total silence. Who is this girl who looks exactly like my love?

"Who are you?" I ask her, and she turns around with an unhappy look, as if she was not the one to rudely intrude on my night of journaling.

"Not Katherine," She scoffs and turning away from me.

None of this is making sense! My mind continues to whirl around with confusion and awe as she sets down an intricate glass on my desk-right on top of my closed journal. She turns to me again, and my eyes fly up to meet hers so she does not realize I had been very rudely ogling her through her transparent nightgown. I keep having to remind myself that this is not Katherine, and therefore, I cannot treat her like anything other than the lady she must be.

"I did not invite you in," I murmur lightly, and she shivers again in her soaked clothing.

"Close the door. I'm cold," the strange girl begs, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth.

Instantly, I close the door, feeling completely coarse in my lack of manners.

"Of course. I am so sorry, miss," I apologize and run over to the hearth to coax out a fire for her comfort.

Once the fire in started, I turn and find her sitting on my cot, and it nearly knocks me over at her overly-familiar actions. I cannot believe she is sitting on my cot and looking so content when she is not even my wife or has known me more than 10 minutes. Clearly, she is lacking manners as well, so I feel a little better at my momentarily lapse of etiquette. Slowly, I walk towards her, and my heart beats even more quickly. She is quite enchanting. Even though she favors Katherine's appearance in nearly every way, there is something very raw and intriguing about this strange girl.

Her long, drenched hair trails down her back like a gorgeous waterfall, and her cheeks are pink and complimented by long, delicate eyelashes. Brown eyes, which are like Katherine's in color but not in any other way, stare into mine, and I am momentarily lost. Something about her feels so familiar and warm. Unlike Katherine's eyes, this girl's eyes are bright and show her most sacred emotions, melting any thawing in my chest.

I shake myself from these inappropriate thoughts and drape a blanket around her shaking body. Then I kneel before her and inspect her with my eyes.

"Are you hurt, miss?" I inquire gently, wondering if she was running from something.

Why else would she be running around outside in the rain, dressed in only her nightclothes? Is she in danger? Immediately, I feel the desire to protect her rise in me, and I am confused by this.

"I'm fine, Damon," She huffs and rolls her eyes, another unladylike manner for an unmarried woman such as her.

"How do you know my name?" I whisper in wonder.

Again, she surprises me by kicking me over until I sprawl in front of the now-roaring fireplace. Then she throws her body on top of mine, which startles and arouses me intensely. I am having trouble keeping my thoughts from straying into inappropriate territory. Her entire, luscious body is pressed against mine in every way except our faces, which are so, so close. Those red and plump lips are tempting me to ravage them, but I must be a gentleman. I do not know this girl. Much to my surprise, she is staring at my lips as well with great interest. The fact that she desires me too causes my body to awaken in places that would make it hard to hide if I should stand up suddenly.

"This is a dream," the beautiful girl tells me.

"Perhaps it is," I reply breathlessly, needing to close the gap and kiss her.

She pulls herself up and off me, much to my dismay, and stares at the fire with longing. I realize she must be cold still. There is no way she will get warm with all of her soaked nightclothes still on.

"Ma'am, if I may suggest...I hope I am not being too forward...if you would like to remove your attire, I promise I will remain a gentleman and turn away so as not to see," I find myself saying, completely mortified at my forwardness.

I am torn between her getting warm and maintaining an appropriate atmosphere with her. Although I worry that if she takes her clothes off, I will not be able to stop myself, I also feel the overpowering urge to protect her from catching a cold and developing pneumonia.

"Okay," She agrees with a shy smile, surprising me again.

I had nearly expected her to slap me for my uncouth suggestion. What type of woman would agree to take off her underclothes in front of a man who is not her husband? I turn around, praying that my body will not react in the ways I am currently feeling. I try not to listen to her undressing, but I hear her wet nightgown flutter to the ground, and I am overtaken by complete and utter lust. In order to stave off the desire to grab her and make passionate love to her, I clench my fists.

"Damon," I hear from behind me, and I tense my entire body in response.

"Yes?" I ask through gritted teeth, begging my body to behave itself.

"Turn around."

My shoulders lock, and my fists clench and unclench in order to find some relief. I know it is wrong to turn around, so I stay where I am. For her benefit. If I did turn around, I would be tempted to take her virtue, and that would be very wrong of me. I would be putting her entire life in jeopardy. If anyone found out that she was not pure, she would never find a suitable husband, and she would have to fight for the rest of her life to simply get by. I hear her steps, and I have a fleeting hope that she is walking away to put distance between us, but when I feel her hands running down my back and her lips on my neck, I nearly fall over in surprise. Despite her continued roaming hands, I do not react. My noble restraint is waning, though, when she roughly rids me of my shirt and then reaches for my trousers. Her naked breasts are pressed against my naked back, and I stop her hands before they can get anywhere near the painful throbbing in my pants.

"Please," She begs softly, and my control breaks like a dam holding back centuries worth of water.

I turn and see miles upon miles of flawless, naked flesh. Her body is the same as Katherine's, except that it is softer and glows more luminously in the light. She also wears a glorious tan that makes me feel as if my hands will feel warmth when I touch her. My eyes scrunch briefly when I see how strange her undergarments are.

"These are very small pantaloons," I mumble, reaching out and feeling the luxurious texture.

They are in the shade of pink, with delicate white lace outlining where I long to be. She shudders when I touch her, but when our eyes meet, I see that she is moved by unfiltered passion and is not afraid of me. This emboldens me.

"You are so beautiful. I conclude that I must be dreaming as well," I announce and then exhale heavily at the prospect of what we are about to do.

I pull her to me, and she melts into my hard body with a blissful sigh. Her heat is scorching me through her small undergarments as I feel her dampness through my trouser leg. She wantonly grinds herself into my leg, searching for relief, and I begin to realize (with relief) that she may not be as innocent as I initially made her out to be. Surely, a maiden would not have been so bold with a stranger, but I am not complaining. Our lips meld together like moving waves, sometimes violent and crashing, other times, gentle and lapping. In a well-practiced move, I lift her, and she wraps her arms around me without question. I place her onto the bed, and she hastily pushes my trousers down and off with her agile toes and seems surprised and amused that I have nothing on underneath. Without giving her time to think, I continue to plunder her mouth, trailing my tongue and lips down to one of her full breast and biting on a nipple. I smirk when she squeaks in surprise and pleasure; my cock jerks and tingles from the sounds she is making. Quickly, I pull off her strange underthings. Unable to help myself, I bring the soaked fabric to my nose and inhale heartily, causing her to gasp in embarrassment. So, she still is innocent in some ways, I note with a wolfish smile.

She lays there looking too enticing for her own good, so I prowl back up her body and bring my fingers between her legs. Her sheath is warm and dripping, so I rather impatiently run my swollenness up and down her lips, teasing and preparing her. Except I cannot share myself fully with her until I know more.

"What is your name?" I pant, looking down at her expectant, smiling expression.

"Elena," She answers with a melodic and gentle voice.

"It has been a pleasure meeting you," I declare, finally driving into her until I'm completely encased in her fluttering inner grip.

Her subsequent tortured groan brings me back from my visit to the heavens.

"Elena?" I gasp into the crevice of her neck.

I notice almost immediately that she seems to be struggling to accommodate my girth, and I feel angry and disappointed at myself for not taking more time to prepare her.

"Have I hurt you?" I demand, forcing her expressive eyes back on mine.

"No, no...it's just...so big," Elena moans, constricting almost painfully around me.

In apology for my brute behavior, I give her tender kisses on her forehead, cheeks, eyelids, and lips. My remorse increases dramatically when I see tears falling from her eyes, making her hair wet again. She seems almost sad and has a faraway look in her eye, which pains me as well. Maybe she is thinking of someone else? Surely someone so beautiful must have many suitors waiting for her return.

"I don't want to wake up from this," She mumbles, as if reading my mind.

I cannot believe I am being so unfaithful to Katherine, but I remember that she is also in bed with my brother at this exact moment. Still, there is something about this girl that has intrigued me-possibly capturing my heart in the process?

"I would prefer to stay this way forever," I can't help by answer, and her glimmering smile is all the reward I need for my honesty and kind words.

I begin to move, hoping I am not hurting her, but she seems to be enjoying this as much as I am. All thoughts of anything else cease to exist in my mind as I zero in on the goddess beneath me. She's so beautiful, and she feels so soft all over. My heart beats twice as fast as she gives everything back to me that I give to her. For such a young girl, she seems very unafraid and unashamed of our intimacy, which is strange but I welcome it.

"Damon," She moans, and I briefly question again how she knows my name.

Elena seems to like it when I say her name in her ear, and I relish the little shivers and arching of her back when I whisper over and over again. I can feel her about to let go, so I grip her hands in mine and flick my hips into hers while staring invasively into her eyes until she falls over the edge with a keening cry. The sound causes my entire body to feel as if I have been struck by lightning, and my abs and lower back clench almost painfully as I empty myself into her. I collapse onto her chest and tears leak from my eyes at the intensity of what has just occurred. In her own little world, Elena relaxes back into the cot with a dreamy smile until I slowly withdraw myself and fetch her nightgown. Tenderly, I help her redress, and she gives me a confused look when I put my trousers back on.

"So I will not wake you up in order to have you again," I explain, and her entire face looks like delectable cherries in color.

Keeping my trousers on is a good idea, especially since I am already hungry for her again, but I will let her rest...until morning that is. I slide in behind her and hold her, which she gladly welcomes as she snuggles back into me and sighs happily.

"I feel as if I have met you before, Miss Elena," I confess, holding her tightly to me, afraid that if I let go, she will slip away like a long-forgotten dream.

"You have," She answers lightly, causing me to smile at the absurdity of her words.

When she drifts off to sleep, I strain to keep my eyes open so I can watch her unguardedly. So as not to wake her, I gently caress her pink cheek and brush a strand of hair from her face. Although it has only been one encounter, I feel as if I may fall in love with this stranger. She has so much more warmth and love than Katherine. Innocence and joy radiates from Elena whereas Katherine is twisted and cold.

In the morning, I reach out for Elena, but there is nobody in the cabin with me. With a mournful feeling spreading throughout me, I roll onto my back and stare angrily at the ceiling. Perhaps it was a dream, but why do I still feel her here with me? I jump to my feet when I hear a knock on the door, hoping that Elena has come back, but when I see my visitor, my heart falls infinitely.

"Katherine," I greet stiffly, and she gives me a short, playful curtsy.

"My love, you were not at breakfast," She croons, enticing me with her eyes.

I look back at the ruffled bedcovers and repress a sigh. It was all a dream, I suppose.

"May I make it up to you with a walk around the gardens, Miss Pierce?" I offer graciously.

"You may," Katherine accepts with her predatory smile.

"Then please come in while I make myself presentable."

xxxxxxxxx

Six weeks ago/Present day:

I scrub my hands over my face tiredly as the hot water in my shower stings my back. The search for Stefan is wearing on me, but I would never tell Elena that. She's already being such a pest about it, and she really has no idea what we're dealing with anymore. The Stefan who left is no longer the Stefan she knows. He's a monster-even worse than me now. Thankfully, he's a messy monster, which has made tracking his little indiscretions even easier. Now, if only I could get Elena to back off somehow...

My head shoots up when I hear a car door close from the driveway. I step out of the shower and peer out the window, seeing a flustered and tired-looking Elena rushing into the house.

"Weird," I mumble to myself.

I don't remember her making plans to come over here today. Throwing on a loose pair of pants, I silently walk down the stairs and watch her tossing the pillows off the couch and frantically looking for something in the den. I clear my throat, and she jumps with fright, turning around with a guilty expression on her face.

"By all means-make yourself at home," I drawl, surveying the newly cleaned interior of the house.

It has been six weeks since Elena's birthday party here, and I have just now finished bringing the house back to its former glory. The rug took weeks to fix after countless cans of cheap beer were spilled on it. I shudder at the horrible injustice.

"Sorry, I just...I left something here, I think," She replies shakily, her eyes averted from mine.

She's acting even weirder than usual, but I don't want to push her. Elena is about one more bad day away from going psychotic, I estimate. Pillows continue to be thrown about as Elena continues her search, and I continue to watch her while she's not paying attention. She looks haggard and is carrying herself lightly, as if she's afraid to really commit to her body's actions. Careful. She's acting careful-like she doesn't trust herself. And pale. She's pretty pale.

"You're sick?" I ask suddenly as I conclude that's why she looks so horrible.

"What?" She gasps dramatically, and I roll my eyes in exasperation.

"Are you sick?" I ask again, announcing each word for emphasis.

"Uh...no. I don't know. It's not a big deal," Elena stutters, evading looking into my eyes.

"Well, you look terrible. That's why I ask," I tease, noting that she suddenly looks angry.

She whirls around with an outraged expression and tears in her eyes. What the hell?

"Screw you, Damon," She growls, making a run for the front door.

I blur in front of her, blocking her exit.

"What's wrong?" I demand, grabbing her chin and looking into her eyes.

She fights me, despite knowing my superior strength, and my interest is even more piqued at her odd behavior.

"Nothing! Leave me alone!" She throws fists at me, and I reluctantly let her go so she won't hurt herself.

While I'm this close to her, I notice how different she smells now. It's her usual scent but with an added scent...smells like sweet milk almost. The newer scent draws me in because it's flowing right under her translucent skin. I lean in to inhale, and she gives me an affronted look, reminding me of who she is and where we are. This is my brother's girlfriend, I remind myself sourly.

"I'm leaving," She sniffs angrily at me, pulling away and throwing open the door.

I become even more consternated when she intentionally leaves the door open because she knows how much that annoys me. The Virginia heat will fuck up the older wood in the house, so I'm always railing on her about it. I shut the door and blur up to my room to watch her get into her car and drive away. Without thinking, I walk over to my wardrobe and lift out the fake bottom, grabbing my forbidden treasure from inside. My thumb caresses the material softly, and I close my eyes, remembering that night with a heavy, bursting heart.

Tenderly, I place Elena's pink and lace panties back into the hidden compartment and close the draw quietly. Elena may think she dreamed it all, but I unfortunately cannot deny that it was real.

xxxxxxx

Six weeks ago/1864:

Katherine steps into the room, immediately tensing up and pushing me against the nearest wall.

"Who was here?" She snarls with her fangs and purple veins prominent on her beautiful face.

"What? No one," I try to explain, and she slams me into the wall before letting me go.

She raises her nose in the air as if contemplating her next move, and before I can register what she's doing, she is grabbing something from under the cot and holding it up triumphantly before me. The pink and lace underthings send a shock through my system. So it wasn't a dream then. It was real.

"Where is the owner of these?" Katherine sneers, waving them before my face.

"I don't know. She was gone when I woke up," I promise, trying to keep my fear from showing, knowing it will only make her more excited.

"This is what we will do," She sighs, blurring in front of me suddenly.

She grabs my face, and I do not fight her because I know better.

"The wench who stopped by for a midnight snack does not exist. It was a dream. You missed me so much last night that you conjured it all up in your dreams," She murmurs, stroking my face and compelling me.

I step back when she releases me and blink sluggishly. With confusion, I watch Katherine drop the piece of material to the ground and then kick it away in disgust.

"What is that?" I inquire blankly, and Katherine gives me a knowing smile.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, love. Now, how about that walk?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

I pull up to the Salvatore boardinghouse, nervously chewing on a cracker. In the cup holder, there is an untouched bottle of ginger ale that my friends have graciously provided for me. It has been another week of morning sickness and extreme fatigue. I've already been chided several times for losing so much weight, but I can't help that everything smells like garbage to me, and my stomach is at war with everything I put in it. Last week, I had attempted to look for my bracelet that I had left at my birthday party-a whopping one month ago! That means that I'm around one month into my pregnancy. I have never been more tired in my life, and I need two naps to just get through the day. Thankfully, I'm still not showing, so the pregnancy has been pretty easy to hide-except for the daily runs to the bathroom to puke during first period and the occasional dizzy spells, which has Caroline and Bonnie shadowing me like two relentless hound dogs.

Slowly, so I don't topple over, I rise out of my seat and stride towards the boardinghouse with purpose. I'm just going to explain to Damon that I was being extra hormonal that day and to ignore our fight last week. With amusement, I note that the door is slightly open, so I go inside without an invitation. It would be even better if I could finally find that stupid bracelet without Damon being in the house. Preferably, if Damon would just go away for nine months, that would be even better. I have no idea how I would begin to explain the situation to him-let alone tell him that he is the father of my unborn child.

Seeing that no one is the room, I drop my bag on the couch and begin methodically checking the cushions again. With a huff of irritation, I realize that the bracelet is not actually in the front room at all. I suddenly remember that I took it off in Stefan's room right before I left for home with Bonnie. I turn and bound up the stairs, barreling into Stefan's room. My eyes zoom straight onto the lost trinket on the untouched bed sheets. Unwillingly, my eyes well up with tears at the precariousness of my current situation. My boyfriend is gone, possibly forever. I'm pregnant and an orphan. I'm in high school and have no way to support this baby if I keep it. I'm alone.

My chest shakes with a sob as I lightly touch the precious gold bracelet given to me by Stefan and then lift it to my lips for a soft kiss. This turn of events has already changed me so much, and I almost feel like I am letting Stefan go in some ways. It is just not feasible to have a baby when a blood-addict and serial killer is running around. My stomach churns when I picture my precious infant in Stefan's arms, his fangs extended and eyes glowing evilly.

"You found it," I hear from the open doorway.

Not surprisingly-it's Damon. Strangely, he seems to look at me with a pitying, wistful gaze, and it makes my eyes swell even more. Hastily, I wipe away the tears and chuckle.

"Yeah, sorry. I totally forgot it was up here," I excuse, lifting myself up from the bed and awkwardly standing in front of Damon, not meeting his eyes.

"Still sick?" He asks reluctantly, no doubt convinced that I'm about to go off on him like last time.

I slowly plod over to the door and raise a brow so Damon will step out of my way. He does, but not without throwing me a concerned look.

"Uh...it comes and goes," I sigh, knowing I still have awhile until my morning sickness clears up, according to Dr. Fell.

"Okay, well...is there some way I can help? Like get you soup or something?" Damon asks with a barely veiled grimace and a tight smile, and I have to stop myself from laughing.

It is a funny situation: Damon helping me with something as mundane as giving me soup when I'm sick.

"I'll be okay, thank you," I tell him and touch his arm in a comforting manner.

When my hands touch him, however, my whole body feels like it is buzzing all over. My stomach is doing flips, and I feel my heart race. Unconsciously, my eyes fly up to meet his, and we share a burning stare for an unknowable amount of time. I can't believe it, but I want him again. I thought that being with him in my dream, er, I mean, in 1864, would cure me of these feelings, but if anything, I've become hungrier for him...and hungrier in general. Much to my embarrassment, my stomach growls loudly, and I suddenly feel ravenous for the first time since I started experiencing morning sickness.

"Let me feed you, at least," He murmurs, putting his hand on the small of my back and making me jump.

"O-okay," I stutter nervously and walk with him to the kitchen.

Soon, Damon is cooking me a delicious pasta salad, and I cannot stop eating it. Briefly, I pause between spoonfuls to check that I won't immediately throw it up, but it all seems to be settling well. I had no idea I was this hungry. Damon watches me while I polish off the entire meal, and before he can stop me, I hop off the stool and head to the cabinet to grab a glass of water.

"Wait-," He warns, but I've already opened the cabinet, and one of the glasses immediately catches my attention.

Slowly, as if in a dream, I reach to the back of the cabinet and pull out a familiar-looking object. I turn it over in my hands gingerly, tracing the etchings with my thumbs. When I look up, Damon is staring at me warily, waiting for me to react.

"This glass...I left it with you," I tell him softly, placing the glass on the counter to show him.

"Yes," He answers tersely.

"In 1864," I continue, looking at the glass and then reluctantly pull my gaze away to look at Damon.

"Yes," He whispers, refusing to break eye-contact with me.

I pause and bite my lip, wishing I could somehow just run out of the house, but obviously Damon is much faster than me.

"You knew the whole time?" I remark sadly, looking down at the ground in regret.

I feel so sorry for him now that I've been illuminated about his feelings-first by Isabel and then when I kissed him on his deathbed. This is not the way I wanted him to find out that I knew. Things had now gotten much more complicated. My head is bowed as I watch his feet walk tentatively towards me. When I feel his finger on my chin, I don't fight him, and I lift my face up without hesitation. Tears slip down my cheeks, and Damon quickly flicks them away with a soft smile.

"I've been waiting...all this time," He murmurs, bringing his face closer to mine.

He scans my face for any protest, and when he finds none, our lips very chastely meet before separating. However, once I've gotten a taste for him, I need more. I slide my arm up his bicep and bring my hand to the back of his neck, guiding him back to me. Our eyes close in pleasure as we kiss and kiss again. I melt into him, and his hands slide up my back, holding me close to him. I can't help the moan that escapes my throat when his tongue strokes mine in a sensual rhythm. The sounds I make cause him to clutch me harder, and it makes me more desperate to get closer, even though we are pressed impossibly close already.

"Elena," He gasps in reverence once we separate so I can breathe.

My stomach flips-but not with sickness; it is going wild with anticipation, and I suddenly feel like the temperature in the room has sky-rocketed. I lean back into him with my face turned up in offering when my phone rings, tearing us out of our lustful haze. Immediately, I feel intense embarrassment and turn away, scrambling to get my phone from my purse. It falls to the floor, but I do not try to pick it up as I rush out of the room to answer whomever is calling me.

"Elena?" I hear once I pick up.

It's Caroline.

"Yeah? I'm here, sorry," I answer breathlessly, hoping she won't notice how flustered I am.

"Am I...interrupting something?" She asks, and I can picture her smirk through the phone.

"No, no...I'm just getting my bracelet...from the boardinghouse," I add and then cringe at the revealed information.

"Oh? So you were hanging out with Damon?" Caroline inquires innocently, but I know better.

She's snooping, but I refuse to educate her on the Pandora's box that I have just opened in the kitchen.

"Look, I have to go. I'm heading home now if you want to come over," I offer, hoping it will distract her enough to leave this subject alone.

"Sure, sure. You can tell me about it tonight," She snickers before I hang up.

Once the phone call has been ended, I rub my face in frustration. That was a close call. Now I just need an excuse for why I sounded so...ruffled when I answered the phone. I sigh and walk towards the kitchen. When I enter, I see Damon holding something, turned away from me with his shoulders tensed. Oh no. That's his mad and broody pose. Something is wrong.

"Damon?" I ask quietly, stepping towards him.

That's when I see him standing over my purse-the contents of which have spilled onto the floor, and he's holding...my prenatal vitamins.

"Oh, shit," I inhale, rushing to grab them from his hands.

This was DEFINITELY not how I wanted to tell Damon about this. He turns and swats me away like a fly, shaking the prescription bottle menacingly. He looks up with a withering, quietly enraged look, and chills go down my spine.

"They're not mine?" I attempt to explain, but Damon's horrible expression shuts me up.

He slowly turns the bottle so I see who it is prescribed to: Elena Gilbert via Doctor Fell.

"This has...been the most beyond stupid thing you have _ever_ done," He begins, flaring his nostrils, and I immediately start to cry.

It almost reminds me of how my dad would have reacted if he were alive and I were pregnant in high school. The thought hurts my heart, and the tears fall harder until I am crying earnestly, arms wrapping around myself.

"It was an accident. You don't understand-," I try to tell him, but he cuts me off again, walking straight up to me until my chest is almost against his.

He's so scary when he's standing over me like this. Still, I stupidly reach for the bottle again, and his hand overlaps on mine, holding me close, but not in a loving way.

"I'm sorry," I barely manage to whisper between sobs.

As my survival instincts kick in, I begin to wildly struggle against his hold yet not letting go of the bottle. I need them for my baby. I'm not leaving this house without them.

"Damon! Let go," I scream, pulling away with all my weight.

When he lets go, I fall straight on my ass, and the cap of the pill bottle comes with me, scattering all the prenatal vitamins to the kitchen floor. Wordlessly, I look up at him with a horrified expression. He merely shakes his head before crouching down to stare into my eyes.

"Do you have any idea how hard it has been to just keep _you_ alive? And now you expect me to protect some random jock's baby because you couldn't keep your legs closed? What if Klaus hears about another doppelganger offspring? Honestly, do you think at all?" Damon seethes, leaning closer into me, but I refuse to reel back in fear.

He doesn't know it, but it's his baby, and I still wouldn't change anything-no matter what Klaus might know. I'm the mother, therefore it is my choice, and it is my duty to protect this child, even if the father does not want it, but in that moment, I decide that I want to keep it. It was created from love, and I already find myself attached. Life is so beautiful, and after everything I've been through, I need more joy and awe in my life. It's a chance to start over and to be loved unconditionally-and to love unconditionally.

"Fuck _you_ ," I hiss at him, which makes him blink his eyes at me in surprise and lean back.

He makes a disgusted noise from his throat before walking past me, and when I hear the door slam, I know that he has left the house. I quietly cry as I gather up all my prenatal vitamins from the floor and gingerly return them to the bottle as if they are precious gems. Grabbing the counter for support, I pull myself up and begin collecting all the objects that had fallen out of my purse. Like Damon did before, I flick away the continuous stream of tears and quickly make my way to the driveway before departing the property in my car.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Gestation: Eight weeks pregnant

Elena POV:

"Ugh! Caroline, stop giving me such tight shirts," I complain from behind the changing curtain.

Not surprisingly, when I peek out from behind the barrier, Caroline is happily sorting through mountains of clothes for me to try on. She looks up with a confused expression before checking the tags of the clothes.

"I got them all in size small, they shouldn't be...oh, no. I'm sorry. I guess I forgot about...," She trails off, gesturing apologetically to my still small but continually rounding belly.

"It's okay. It had to happen at some point. The way I've been eating lately...," I laugh with false cheer before pulling the curtain back.

A week ago, I ate something special at the boardinghouse, and I realized that I nearly always kept down Italian food! Since then, pasta, fresh basil bread, and pizza have been my greatest comforts. Those of my friends who don't know about my current situation keep poking fun at how I seem to be vacuuming down my lunch and snacking in between classes at school. In response, I just laugh and tell them that I've been working out and need the calories.

Another unfortunate part of pregnancies are the hormones. I've been especially touchy about my weight and honestly any comment pointed towards me. The other day, Matt told me that I was really "filling out"-totally harmless statement, right? No, I promptly burst into tears and ran from the room, which Caroline and Bonnie explained away by saying that I was on my period. Even though I know that weight gain at seven weeks is normal, I feel so scrutinized, like someone is holding a huge magnifying glass above me. I'm nowhere close to showing unless I wear something skin-tight, but I constantly worry about when I'll have to tell people. It's even worse being in such a small town. People will have so many assumptions and hurtful comments. My parents' old friends will surely feel disappointed in me. I know if my parents were alive today, they wouldn't be super excited about the fact that I'm going to be a teenage mom. Hopefully, the baby will stay inside me later rather than earlier so I'll have more time to get homework done before graduating. I guess college is kind of out of the picture since all my money will be dedicated to raising the baby.

"Elena? I'm sorry! Don't be sad! You still look really great," Caroline knowingly offers from outside.

I nod and brush away my errant tears and chide myself for letting my hormones get so out of control. I didn't even cry this much when my parents died, so people will really start to think I've completely lost it. Quickly, I redress and exit the store in the midst of Caroline's speech about how beautiful I am and how every guy in high school will still want me, but I ignore her. I'm in a weird mood now because I don't care what any high school guy thinks of me. I want someone much older than a high school boy. I want someone extremely old to care about me. I shake my head and chuckle at how irreparable my relationship with Damon has become. The look in his eyes when he figured out I was pregnant will always be seared into my eyelids. I lay awake at night and cry, imagining the scene over and over again.

"Elena! Wait up!" Caroline calls, catching up to me.

She looks so remorseful, and I immediately feel bad.

"Sorry. I just needed to be out of there," I whisper with tears in my eyes.

Caroline immediately hugs me close and runs her hands down my back in a comforting manner.

"No problem, mama," She murmurs, hooking our arms together and walking beside me.

"Stop calling me that!" I laugh, pushing her lightly with my elbow.

She sends me a cheeky grin. We stroll leisurely down the street and across town towards my house. I'm hungry again, and Caroline promises me she'll make me something at my house while I do some homework and work on unfreezing my parents' trust fund that I'll inherit on my 21st birthday before the baby gets here. All these medical bills will pile up eventually, and I do not want to be in debt while I raise this kid. When we reach my house, I see someone lounging in my porch swing. Caroline, being a vampire, of course, knows who it is and softly unlocks her arm from my grasp. She whispers in my ear to call her if I need anything, and I nod silently, my throat too scratchy to reply before she zooms off.

Slowly, I ascend to the porch and stand numbly in front of my visitor.

"Damon," I greet sourly.

"Sit?" He offers, waving his hand over the empty side of the swing, but I cross my arms and give him an annoyed glare.

He nods with a wry smile.

"I guess I deserve that," Damon concedes gently, moving to stand up.

Instinctively, I take a few steps back, and I notice how his face falls at my actions. I would feel bad for doing it, but the last time I saw him, he scared the hell out of me by acting so intimidating. Plus it's not only me that I need to protect anymore. I can't be taking any risks.

"You do," I confirm with an angry huff, turning to unlock the front door.

"Look-I'm sorry. I may have overreacted, but imagine my surprise, Elena," He apologizes softly, trying to get me to turn and look into his desolate expression.

I push the door open and enter, turning to face his mirrored pose of facing into my house. I know he wants to come in, but I'm still so disappointed and mad at his reaction. I refuse to make him feel better, so I simply stand in the doorway and stare him down.

"Think about how I feel, Elena. One moment, it's like...my brother is gone. I could have really made you mine, but...I had no idea you were even seeing someone," He explains, gesturing towards my stomach.

I blush and pull my jacket closer over my midsection without thinking.

"I'm not seeing anyone," I respond before I can stop myself.

"Then...? Who is the-?" He asks with bewilderment.

"None of your business! God! You can't just show up hear after you completely rip me to shreds at your house and expect me to forgive you! I was so scared, I still am. I have no idea what I'm doing, and I...I needed a friend, Damon!" I screech angrily and then immediately shut my lips together as I feel tears coming back.

Sensing this, Damon steps forward and cups my face, sweetly giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"Don't cry. I'll help you," He promises, tilting my face up towards his.

This makes me feel even more conflicted, and I start crying more earnestly instead.

"Damon, I'm sorry," I whisper with my face buried in his dampened shirt.

"Shh. We're a team. I'm not leaving you alone. Ever."


End file.
